VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Durham Ballet Theatre productions would not be possible without its dedicated, creative, and spirited volunteers. We appreciate all that you give to make these ballets a success. Thank you for joining us!
SUMMARY
Pre-production phase: Share your talents! We need help with costumes, crafting, fundraising, sets, and rehearsal support. Each family is asked to contribute at least 8 hours during the pre-production phase (including a shift at the front desk during rehearsal).
Tech week and production: Participate in the excitement, feel the buzz! We rely on a myriad of volunteers during tech week and the production. Note that all female caregivers with cast member ages 12 and under are required to work a shift in the children’s dressing room during this week.
Questions? Concerns? Talk to the Volunteer Coordinator, she’s here to help!
Maryanne Speroni, 917-304-6648, volunteers@durhamballettheatre.org
PRE-PRODUCTION VOLUNTEER TEAMS
Each family is asked to join at least one volunteer team. Each team will have a designated leader. The leader and the group will decide the best way to communicate – email, text, whatsapp group, regular meetings during rehearsals, etc.
COSTUMES TEAM
Team Leads: Bambi Rigsbee-Smith and Suzie Diamond
Costumers: The Costumer volunteers range from sewing experts to novices! Activities include steaming, ironing, hand sewing, machine sewing, fittings, painting & embellishing
Quick Changers: Help with costume changes during the show - interested parents would need to come to the last few weeks of rehearsal to develop the steps to helping our dancers change quickly and will need to be doing this backstage role at each of the performances during tech week.
What to expect: For the first couple of months of costuming, a smaller group will consistently help and train on machine sewing; in the final month of costuming, we need as many people as we can to finish the details with hand sewing. This is a great place for people who want to learn to sew!
BOUTIQUE TEAM
Team Lead: You! Did you ever play “retail” as a child? Do you browse boutiques and think “I could do this better”!? This is the role for you! We are looking for someone to be in charge of the boutique/gift shop. We set up tables at the Carolina Theatre and sell various wares before and after the shows, and at intermission. Proceeds go to support DBT. This is a fun opportunity to fundraise and live out your retail dreams! The person who takes charge of the boutique will: curate the selection of goods (this involves coordination with craft volunteers and ultimately approval from a board member), set up/take down the shop on performance day (with the assistance of volunteer salespeople), price and display the goods, etc. You will get the support and guidance that you need for success!
Crafter: conceive and create items to sell at the boutique
COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP TEAM
Team Lead: Maryanne Speroni
Fundraisers: Come pound the pavement with us! We fundraise from local businesses, offering them the opportunity to sponsor DBT with donations and/or ads in the Playbill. We have revamped the process this year, and are excited for what we might be able to accomplish. Plus, it’s rewarding to connect with local business owners who support local arts - talk about good community feeling! This is a great opportunity for those who prefer to do their volunteer work remotely, as many of these communications are handled via email or telephone.
SETS & PROPS TEAM
Team Lead: Jennifer Crichlow
Sets: Assist with the sets and updates to scenery for the show. Some of this work will take place off site as some sets are too large to be brought to the studio. A great role for those carpenters out there (and aspiring ones!)
Props Supervisor: Assist with updating props as needed. Love hot glue? Enjoy employing your crafty engineering style? This role’s for you!
REHEARSAL SUPPORT TEAM (signup here)
Front Desk: Someone will be at the front desk during the periods when dancers come and go from rehearsals.
This will be from 1.00 - 4.30 on Saturdays and Sundays.
We ask every family to sign up for a session or two. There will be buzz as rehearsals start and end, but most of the shift will be time to yourself - to read, work, sew, craft, dream.... the sign up forms will be sent via email.
Amateur Videographers: Take video footage of rehearsals (with smartphone – no technical expertise required)
PRODUCTION WEEK VOLUNTEERS
The sign-ups for Production Week will be released in February.
Beginning Tuesday of Production week we will need volunteers for:
Packup DBT to move to the Carolina Theatre
Load in DBT to the Carolina Theatre
Beginning Wednesday of Production Week until we close the show, we will need volunteers for:
Check-in Stage Entrance - greet performers coming into the theatre and checking them off the list
Check-out - release children to their parents
Wranglers - oversee younger children including costume & makeup (all parents of cast under 12 are expected to volunteer for one shift)
Quick changers - help dancers change costumes quickly between appearances
2 Stagehands/Deckhands to assist with communications and scenery moves during the show
Gatekeeper - monitor the interior backstage door
Food - provide food/snacks for cast and crew
Greenroom Attendants - keep room organized and oversee food
Boutique Sales - Sell items [Saturday only]
Between Show Caregivers - keep younger dancers between shows, have a planned activity [Saturday only]
Load out of Carolina Theatre to DSBPA - Assist with packing up the moving truck to move out of theatre [Saturday only]
Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work,society work, civilization work. - Vince Lombardi
(link update coming)
(link update coming)
Wranglers: expected to keep younger children calm
if/when going to green room children should be wearing a robe or coverup but (NO costumes in greenroom)
Touch up makeup and hair (using child's own makeup)
Bathroom break
Dress in costumes ready to roll 15 minutes before they are called
Assist with getting them to stage
de-costume and hang up
Cleanup for next day
As our part of our process no adult should be alone in a room with a dancer. We will schedule wranglers with enough hands to have 2 adults in the dressing room at all times and one adult available to escort children from place to place.
Green Room Attendants - This is where cast & crew come to get something to eat.
NO costumes in the green room unless completely covered
Encourage hand washing
Assist younger cast with getting food
clean up
restock
at the end of the day set up for the next day. Refrigerated food back into refrigerator.
We will have 5 gal bottles with a hand pump for water
See Food signup for when food delivered.
Gatekeeper: guards the interior door between backstage and the lobby area. NO one who is not in cast , crew or volunteers should be given access to the space. (bring a book or knitting)
Sign out cast before they leave for the evening.
Boutique:
sell items from the boutique
use handheld card reader - NO cash
restock
First shift - sets thing up
Last shift - packs things up and bring backstage & give to Jennifer
Durham Ballet Theatre
Volunteers In Partnership
Every person who supports DBT is a VIP member.
Without the hard work of all of our families, we could not have staged shows since 2008! There are many, many tasks that need doing and this is not dependent upon skill level. Many volunteers have been surprised by finding a hidden talent with a hot glue gun or hand-stitching!
All families are expected to contribute to the production of the show by volunteering for various tasks
and by providing food at various times.
Each family is required to volunteer at least twice and provide food at least once.
There are many who volunteer much more time. If they didn’t we wouldn’t have a show!